Stay active to live longer. People who are regularly active in their 50s and 60s are 35% less likely to die in the next eight years than those who don’t exercise at all. Even moderate exercise like gardening, walking, or dancing has benefits.

Low levels of acetylcholine are common in people with Alzheimer‘s. To up your levels, eat broccoli or other glucosinolate-rich food (this stop the decline of acetylcholine) such as potatoes, oranges, apples, radishes and Brussels sprouts.

If you are continuously stressed and can’t seem to get relief, your body’s release of the stress hormone cortisol becomes unrestrained. This can suppress your immune system and lead to nerve cell loss, brain damage, bone loss, muscle wasting, increased abdominal fat and premature aging. So, it’s important to pay attention to your stress levels and do all you can to reduce its effect on your body.

Supplementing with vitamin E(all forms) can help reduce risk of heartattacks in diabetics with a particular blood protein called haptoglobin.

Get to the Med to reduce your risk of dying if you have heart diseases. A Mediterranean-style diet may reduce your risk of dying by 30%, so go for colourful vegetables and fruit, reduce your meat and dairy intake and eat lots of green leafy vegetables, fish and grains.

Supplement daily with a multivitamin and mineral if you’re over 65 to improve your short-term memory, attention span, ability to solve problems and abstract thinking

Nitrites are very carcinogenic – and the largest source of these cancer-causing nitrites is found in cured meat such as bacon, sausage and deli meat. In fact, nitrites have been significantly linked to stomach cancer, so stay well away from nitrite-infused food.

Berries are a fantastic source of antioxidants and can slow many of the diseases that degenerate the aging brain.

Live curious. Researchers have found people who are curious at a young age are the most likely to stay curious as they get older – and this bodes well for keeping your brain sharp. Some of the best brain activities are reading, travelling, crossword puzzles, learning a musical instrument, taking a class, surfing the internet, memorising poetry and playing card games.

While napping doesn’t make up for lost sleep, a 40-minute nap can improve your alertness, performance and reduce your stress levels. But, don’t nap for longer than that and choose your nap time carefully – too close to bed time and you could battle to fall asleep again.

Vitamin D has long been known to positively affect bone health. A vitamin D deficiency has also now been linked to cancer, heart disease, type II diabetes and high blood pressure.

The four most beneficial lifestyle changes that can extend your life span are: giving up smoking; increasing your consumption of fresh fruit and vegetables; drinking moderately; and being physically active.

Selenium, an antioxidant, is associated with a reduced risk of death from heart disease and cancer.

Reduce your risk of lung cancer by consuming leafy green lettuce, broccoli or turnip tops – these vegetables contain between 10-100 times more vitamin A than other vegetable and fruit. Vitamin A is powerful antioxidant.

Keep in touch with friends and family to slow the rate of memorydecline. Researchers have found that people with an active social life have up to half the memory decline as those who are less socially integrated.

Keep away from electrical towers. It’s long been suspected that low-dose electromagnetic radiation has a negative effect on your health. Researchers have now concluded that if you live within 50 metres of an electrical tower, you’re 24% more likely to die from dementia, compared to those who live 600 metres away. Also, time spent living that close is linked risk of negative effects of electromagnetic radiation.

Reduce psychological stress up to 20% by sipping on five cups of green tea each day. It’s rich in catechins (antioxidant compound) and high in a polyphenol that reduces physical and mental fatigue.